Shoe-shine box



NOV. 1961 A. J. BARBA ETAL SHOE-SHINE BOX Filed March 9, 1959 IN V EN TORS ANGELO J. 8/! RBA Q/CHAQD BORRUJO Arronusvs j United States Patent 3,009,187 SHOE-SHEYE BOX Angelo J. Barba, 14 Barnaby Lane, and Richard Borruso, 12 Barnaby Lane, both of Hartsdale, N.Y. Filed Mar. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 798,128 5 Claims. (Cl. 15--265) The present invention relataes generally to shoe-shine boxes, and more particularly to an improved shoe-shine box of the type which combines a container for storing various shoe-shining materials with an upstanding footrest and supporting post arrangement which serves to support the shoe at a convenient height during the shining operation.

It has long been known to provide a storage box in combination with an upstanding foot-rest and supporting post arrangement rigidly afiixed thereto. Such a device serves the purposes of supporting the shoe being shined at a convenient height for shining while also providing a container and carrying vehicle for the multitude of brushes, rags, bottles, and cans which must be kept at hand in order to be prepared for shining shoes of various different colors. For the most part, the container portion of prior art shoe-shine boxes of this type have been generally quite broad, jutting a substantial distance sidewardly from the supporting posts and foot-rest. This has been necessary during the shining operation in order to enable the container to provide a broad enough base for the upstanding supporting posts and foot-rest to make the latter stable as a support for the weight of a leg during the shining operation. In addition, it is generally advantageous to have a broad and somewhat shallow container which opens through the top surface thereof, for in this way optimum access can be had to all regions of the interior of the container, and objects on the bottom will always be close to the access opening and will not be buried under a tall column of other objects.

However, when it is desired to lift the shoe shine box, using the cross-bar or foot-rest proper as a handle and carrying the device suitcase-style, this operation is less comfortable with a shoe-shine box having a broad container than it would be with one having a slimmer container. In particular, a broad container compels the user to hold his arm out at a greater and therefore less comfortable angle while supporting the weight of the shoeshine box. If he lets his arm fall closer to his side, the broad container will tend to strike against his leg, perhaps inflicting bruises and certainly making walking more difiicult. Thus it would clearly be advantageous if while the shoe-shine box was being carried the container could present a relatively slim profile, yet could afford a broad, stable base and optimum access to the interior during the shining operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention broadly to solve one or more of the aforesaid problems. It is particularly within the contemplation of this invention to provide a shoe-shine box combining an upstanding supporting post and foot-rest arrangement with a container which can be positioned with its short dimension oriented horizontally to present a slim profile and thus facilitate carrying of the shoe box, yet can be rotated relative to the supporting posts and foot-rest to orient its long dimension horizontally during the shining operation. Advantageously, the latter position provides optimum access to the interior thereof and provides a broad, stable base for the foot-rest and supporting posts.

In the past, the container portion of a shoe-shine box has been mounted for rotation relative to the upstanding supporting post and foot-rest portion about a vertical axis. With such an arrangement the container portion can be pivoted into position to present a slim profile and thus reduce the sideward extent thereof. But this 3,009,187 Patented Nov. 2 1., 1961 ICC type of device fails to achieve the objects of the present invention because mounting of the container for rotation relative to the supporting posts and foot-rest about a vertical axis requires that the mounting means be afiixed to the center of the cross-bar or foot-rest proper, thus impairing its utility as a handle and defeating the object of facilitating carrying. Further, such a device, if it is to provide access to the interior of the container through one of the longer surfaces thereof, presents the disad-' vantage that the material stored therein, which may include breakable bottles, can easily fall out of the container through the access opening. This disadvantage arises because, as a matter of the geometry of the arrangement, a vertically disposed container rotatableabout a vertical axis will at all times have its longer surfaces vertically oriented. Thus the long surface through which optimum access to the interior of the container is gained will be vertically disposed during the shining operation as well as during carrying of the shoe box. Objects in the box will be near the access opening in this vertically disposed surface, and thus can easily fall out if care is not taken to cover the opening each time. This danger is aggravated by the fact that the act of shining a shoe as it rests on the shoe-shine box has a tendency to shake the shoe-shine box considerably, thus increasing the chance that objects inside the container will be vibrated toward the opening.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a shoe-shine box wherein the container is rotatable relative to the supporting posts and footrest to provide a slim profile during carrying but which avoids one or more of the aforesaid disadvantages. Spe cifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a shoe-shine box of the aforesaid type, the container of which is designed to prevent theobjects therein from falling out even though the access opening thereof may be left open during the shining operation. a

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a shoe-shine box cornprising a container having a depth and a length exceeding its depth, a pair of spaced upstanding supporting posts each having upper and lower ends, a cross-bar adapted to serve as a foot-rest mounted between the upper ends of the supporting posts, and means mounting the container be: tween the supporting posts for rotation relative thereto about a horizontal axis extending transversely to the supporting posts and across the width of the container. Advantageously, with this novel arrangement the container may be rotated between a vertically disposed stored position and a horizontally disposed operating position. As a result, in the stored position the container has its length oriented vertically and its smaller depth oriented horizontally to present a relatively slim profile and thus facilitate carrying. On the other hand, in the operating position the container has its length oriented horizontally and transversely to the supporting posts to provide a board and stable base therefor, and has its shallow depth oriented vertically to provide optimum access to the interior. By providing access through a side of the container which faces upwardly when the container is in the operating posif tion full advantage is taken of the shallowness of the 7 container, and in addition objects therein are prevented from falling out during the shining operation. The above brief summary, as well as further features and advantages inherent in the present invention, may best be appreciated by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompany ing drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe-shine box in accordance with the present invention, showing the container portion thereof in the horizontal or operating position and the container cover thereof in the open position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the shoe-shine box of FIG. 1 with the container shown in the vertical or stored position and the container cover in the closed position;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the shoeshine box of FIGS. 1 and 2, once again with the container in the stored position and the container cover closed;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the shoe-shine box of FIGS. 1-3 taken along the lines 4--4 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the container in the operating position and the container cover partially open;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the shoeshine box of FIGS. 1-4 taken along the lines 55 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the mounting and positioning means thereof;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front elevational view of a female cooperating member of the positioning means of the shoeshine box of FIGS. 1-5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front elevational view of a male cooperating member of the positioning means of the shoeshine box of FIGS. l-S.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, a shoe-shine box, designated generally by the numeral 10, includes a container 12, a pair of spaced upstanding supporting posts 14 and 16, and a cross-bar 18, all of which may be constructed of wood. In addition there are provided pivotal mountings 20 and positioning devices 22, which are preferably made of metal.

The container 12 is provided primarily for storing and carrying the various implements and supplies used in shining shoes, and has several partitions 24 dividing the interior thereof into individual storage compartments. The container 12 is seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 in a horizontal position wherein its depth is oriented vertically and its length (defined as the horizontal dimension which is transverse to cross-bar 18 in FIGS. 1 and 4) is oriented horizontally. The length of the container 12 exceeds its depth, and consequently when the container 12 is in this position it extends further horizontally than it does vertically, thus providing a relatively broad base for lending stability to the shoe shine box 10 and a relatively shallow depth for giving optimum access to the interior of the container 12.

In order to function as a base for the shoe-shine box 10 the container 12 when in the horizontal position must of course extend at least as far downward as do the lower ends of supporting posts 14 and 16, otherwise the latter would protrude downwardly and the shoe-shine box could rock thereabout. To avoid this the lowermost surface of container 12 may either be coincident with or spaced downwardly from the lower ends of posts 14 and 16 when container 12 is in the horizontal position.

To take advantage of the shallow depth in giving optimum access to the interior of the container 12, such access is gained through a side of the container 12 which faces upwardly when container 12 is in the horizontal position by means of a door 26 slidably mounted in a pair of confronting channels 12a formed in the inside surfaces of the front and rear walls of container 12. Advantageously, as a result of the fact that the access opening into the interior of container 12 faces upwardly, the contents thereof are held inside by the force of gravity under all normal conditions of use during the shining operation even though door 26 may be left open.

The supporting posts 14 and '16 straddle the container 12 and rise upwardly to support the cross-bar 18, which is shaped and adapted to serve as a footrest. The cross-bar 18 is mounted between the upper ends of the supporting posts 14 and 16, the front post 16 being longer than the rear post 14 in order to mount cross-bar 18 at a comfortable angle -for resting a foot thereon.

For rotatably mounting container 12 between the supporting posts 14 and 16 there are provided pivotal mountings 20 These are identical, each including an axle bolt 28 passing rotatably through aligned holes in the supporting posts 14 or 16 near the lower end thereof and in the front or rear walls of container 12, and internally threaded nuts 30 screwed onto externally threaded inwardly facing ends of axle bolts 28. Enlarged outwardly facing heads on axle bolts 28 and washers 32 mounted over axle bolts 28 between threaded nuts 30 and the walls of the container 12 serve to prevent withdrawal of the axle bolts 28 in either direction. It will be appreciated that this arrangement mounts the container 12 for rotation about a horizontal axis extending transversely to the supporting posts and across the width of container 12. As a result, the container 12 can be rotated between the horizontally disposed operating position of FIGS. 1 and 4 and the vertically disposed stored position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the latter position the relatively great length of the container 12 is oriented vertically to prevent it from being a nuisance in carrying, while the relatively small depth is oriented horizontally to provide a fairly slim profile and thereby reduce the sideward extent of the container 12. Thus, with the container 12 in this position, when the shoeshine box 10 is carried using the cross-bar 18 as a handle, the necessity for the user to hold his arm out at an uncomfortable angle, as well as the tendency for the shoe-shine box 10 to strike his leg and impede his walk, are greatly reduced if not entirely eliminated. The supporting posts 14 and 16 must of course extend sufiiciently far above the pivotal mountings to accommodate the container 12 underneath the cross-bar 18 with sufficient finger clearance therebetween to allow cross-bar 18 to be used as a handle for the shoe-box 10 when container 12 is vertically disposed.

In order to sharply define the stored and operating positions of container 12 and to releasably hold the container 12 in those positions, there is provided a pair of positioning devices 22, each of which surrounds one of the axle bolts 28 and is secured in position in the narrow space between the container 12 and one of the supporting posts 14 or 16.

The positioning devices 22 are identical, each consisting of a female cooperating member 34 and a male cooperating member 36. Both members are flat circular disks, preferably stamped from heavy sheet metal, formed with cooperating projections and recesses, and arranged in confronting relation to permit the projections to engage the recesses for cooperation therebetween in order to define the stored and operating positions of the container 12 and to releasably hold the container therein. Each female member 34 is formed with two pairs of diametrically opposed position-defining holes 34a and 34b, the line between holes 34a arranged at right angles to that between holes 34b, and all holes being located near the outer periphery thereof. Each male member 36 is formed with a single pair of diametrically opposed position-defining projections 36a positioned near the outer periphery to engage either pair of position-defining holes 34a or 34b, depending on the relative positions of female member 34 and male member 36.

For fastening the members in place each female member 34 is formed with a pair of sidewardly projecting fastening ears 34!: having fastening holes 34d therethrough and a central axle bolt bore 34e, while each male member 36 is formed with an upwardly projecting fastening car 360 having a fastening hole 36d therethrough and a central axle bolt bore 36e. The female members 34 are fastened to the outward facing surfaces of the front and rear walls respectively of the container 12, while the male members 36 are fastened to the inward facing surfces of the supporting posts 14 and 16 in confronting relationship to the female members 34. The fastening may be by means of wood screws such as fastening screw 38 passing through each fastening hole of the female members 34 and male ,members 36 and threaded into the adjacent wooden element of the-shoeshine box 10. The male members 36 are fastened in place with their position-defining projections 36a vertically aligned and axle bolts 28 passing through central axle bolt bores 36c. The female members 34 are fastened in place with their position-defining holes 34a oriented across the depth of container 12, their position-defining holes 34b oriented along the length of container 12, and axle bolts 28 passing through central axle bolt bores 342. Thus the pair of position-defining holes 34 will engage the position-defining projections 36a when the container 12 is in the horizontal or operating position, while the other pair of position-defining holes 34b will perform that function when container 12 is rotated about axle bolts 28 to the vertical or stored position, thus positively defining those positions.

In order to maintain the female members 34 and male members 36 in fairly tight confronting proximity to each other so that the described engagement between the cooperating position-defining elements will serve to releasably hold the container 12 in the stored or operating positions until a positive attempt is made to dislodge it, there are provided cylindrical rivet collars 40 inserted in the central axle bolt bores 34c and 36e, which bores are seized to receive the rivet collars 40. The latter in turn have central axle bolt bores 40a seized to receive the axle bolts 28 and through which the latter pass. The rivet collars 40 are formed at either end with holder flanges 40b which are tightly turned back upon both the female members 34 and male members 36 to press them firmly into confronting engagement. As a result, some definite effort will be needed to rotate the container 12 out of either of its sharply defined positions. Such movement of the container 12 will require the position-defining projections 36a to be retracted from the accommodating recesses provided for them by positiondefining holes 34a or 34b and to be moved into the space between the aforesaid holes where there are no recesses to accommodate them. Consequently, some resilient deformation of the positioning devices 22 will be necessary in order to effect such movement, and this in turn demands some definite effort on the part of the operator. Under normal conditions of use, therefore, the container 12 will remain in either the stored or the operating position until intentionally dislodged therefrom.

In the operation of the shoe-shine box 10, the container 12 may be intentionally rotated to the operating position and the shoe-shine box set down using the container 12 as a base or pedestal therefor. The door 26 may then be opened and left open. All the contents of container 12 will be readily accessible, yet will be retained therein by the force of gravity during the shining operation. The cross-bar 18 and the supporting posts 14 and 16 will support the weight of a leg and maintain a shoe at a convenient height for shining, yet there will be no tendency for the shoe-shine box 10 to tip over, owing to the stability of the broad base formed by container 12, nor will there be any tendency for the supporting posts 14 and 1 6 to rotate sidewardly relative to the container 12, owing to the holding effect of the positioning devices 22. After the shining operation the door 26 is first closed and then the container 12 may be intentionally rotated to the stored position and the entire shoeshine box 10 conveniently carried using cross-bar 18 as a handle. The container 12 will then remain in the stored position until intentionally dislodged.

It will be readily appreciated, therefore, that the present invent-ion provides a stable shoe-shine box which provides optimum access to the contents therein, which presents little risk that the contents will fall out during the shining operation, and which can be conveniently carried when not in use.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe-shine box comprising a container, said container having a depth and a length exceeding said depth, a pair of spaced upstanding supporting posts each having upper and lower ends, a cross-bar mounted between the upper ends of said supporting posts, means mounting said container between said supporting posts for rotation relative thereto about a horizontal axis extending transversely to said supporting posts and across the width of said container such that said container may be rotated between a vertically disposed stored position and a horizontally disposed operating position, said supporting post extending sufficiently far above said mounting means to accommodate said container underneath said cross bar to allow said cross bar to be used as a handle for said box when said container is in a stored position, and yieldably interengaging means for establishing the stored and operating positions of said container and releasably holding said container therein.

2. A shoe-shine box comprising a container, said container having a depth and a length exceeding said depth, only two spaced upstanding supporting posts each having upper and lower ends, a cross-bar adapted to serve as a foot-rest mounted between the upper ends of said supporting posts, means positioned near the lower ends of said supporting posts for mounting said container between said supporting posts for rotation relative thereto about a horizontal axis extending transversely to said supporting posts and across the width of said container such that said container may be rotated between a vertically disposed stored position and a horizontally disposed operating position, means providing access to the interior of said container through a long side of said container which faces upwardly when said container is in the op erating position, said container when in the operating position extending at least as far downward as the lower ends of said supporting posts whereby to serve as a horizontal base for said shoe-shine box, said supporting posts extending sufliciently far above said mounting means to accommodate said container underneath said cross-bar with suificient finger clearance therebetween to allow said crossbar to be used as a handle for said shoe box when said container is in the stored position, one of said supporting posts being longer than the other to mount said cross-bar at a comfortable angle for resting a foot thereon, and yieldably interengaging means for establishing the stored and operating positions of said container and releasably holding said container therein, said positionestab-lishing means constituting the sole means for holding said supporting posts erect to support the weight of a foot resting on said cross bar.

3. A shoe-shine box comprising an inverted generally U-shaped support including a pair of upstanding posts and a flat cross bar joining said posts and adapted toserve as a handle and foot-rest, a generally rectangular container disposed intermediate said posts and adapted to serve as a storage receptacle and pedestal, means operatively connected to and mounting said container on said posts for swinging movement about a substantially horizontal axis between a stored position substantially co extensive with said posts and a pedestal-forming position substantially at right angles to said posts, said supporting post extending sufiiciently far above said mounting means to accommodate said container underneath said cross bar to allow said cross bar to be used as a handle for said box when said container is in a stored position, and yieldably interengaging means for releasably securing said container in said stored position.

4. A shoe-shine box comprising a container, said container having a depth and a length exceeding said depth, a pair of spaced upstanding supporting posts each having upper and lower ends, a cross-bar adapted to serve as a foot-rest mounted between the upper ends of said supporting posts, means mounting said container between said supporting posts for rotation relative thereto about a horizontal axis extending transversely to said supporting posts and across the width of said container such that said container may be rotated between a vertically disposed stored position and a horizontally disposed operating position, said supporting post extending sufliciently far above said mounting means to accommodate said container underneath said cross bar to allow said cross bar to be used as a handle for said box when said container is in a stored position, yieldably interengaging means for establishing the stored and operating positions of said container and releasably holding said container therein, and means providing access to the interior of said container through a long side of said container which faces upwardly when said container is in the operating position.

5. A shoe-shine box comprising an inverted generally U-shaped support including a pair of upstanding posts and a flat cross bar joining said posts and adapted to serve as a handle and footrest, a generally rectangular container disposed intermediate said posts and adapted to serve as a storage receptacle and pedestal, means operatively connected to and mounting said container on said posts for swinging movement about a substantially horizontal axis between a stored position substantially coextensive with said posts and a pedestal-forming position substantially at right angles to said posts, said supporting posts extending sufiiciently far above said mounting means to accommodate said container underneath said cross-bar to allow said cross bar to be used as a handle for said box when said container is in the store position, and yieldably interengaging means for releasably securing said container in said stored position.

References fiited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 633,422 Burns Sept. 19, 1899 2,136,354 Welsh Nov. 8, 1938 2,836,842 Brown June 3, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 398,530 Great Britain Sept. 11, 1933 789,630 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1958 

